James cato de castro



UNITED STATES PiATfENT' OFFICE.

IJAME$ CATO DE oAsrno, on HINDE srnnnr, MANCHESTER-SQUARE, coUNrYoFMIDDLESEX, ENGLAND.

EXPL OSlVE eoMPouNo.

saaemzwfiibna mmg memeie rwiqcer sesanfifieaneeemeer is; I884;Application filed January 3, 1884. (No specimens.) Patented in EnglandAugust 21, 1883, No. 4,043. 7

To all whom if may concern Be it known that I, JAMES Caro DE Ons'rno,

.a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residingat HindeStreet, Manchester Square, in the county of Middlesex, England,

doctor of medicine, have invented certain new and useful Improvem entsinthe Mann factu re of I Explosive Compounds, (for which I have obtained apatent in Great Britain, No. 4,043, bearing date August 21, 1883,) ofwhich following is a specification.

The object of my invention is the ma'nufao ture of explosive compoundsthat shall be practically free from danger not only during the process.of such manufacture, but also practically so during transit andstorage; also, that the pellets or agglomerated forms ofsuohcomnonndshall not. be either 11yperse nsitive tp percussion orignition, and shall not be explos1ve,1n the true sense of thewr'd,uuless purposely and strongly confined, whileat the same timesuchcompounds shall not be liable to undergo chemical change fromvariations of temperature, damp, or such like causes of deteriorationpertaining generally to explosive compounds. For this purpose I mix withWheaten or other bran which has first been depr'ived of its flour orstarch by washing or cleansing and subsequent drying, or other suitabledescription of cellulose,- tel-sulphide of antimony,0r natural sulphideof antimony, in the proportion of, say, about one part of thetersulphide of antimony to, about seven parts 1 Of thebranor othercellulose. These ingre dients are thoroughly incorporated together 3 ina mixing-mill or revolving drum or other convenient mixer.

weight of bran and tel-sulphide of antimonycombined. These pellets orforms of the cx plosive compound are generally hollowed or perforatedabout half-way down the center, or

are otherwise so formed as found best adapted the to promote combustion.These explosiveforms of compounds such as described may be fired bymeans of an ordinary detonating or explosive cap, thereby dispensingwith the necessity for tampinga troublesome, 'uncer tain, and otherwiseobjectionable and often dangerous operation.

The pellets or forms of my explosive compou'pds may, when dried,beplaced in strong water-proof cartridge cases or covers. These cartridgecases or cov'ers may be made of a suitable description of paper,whichfafter being wrapped around the cartridge or mass ofexplosivecompound, it is advisable to dip into paraffine-wax orothersuitable preservative coating. By such treatment the explo sive isfurther insured against ill edects of damp. in ing c ract d f o t eatmosph e or otherwise,and its employment for explosive purposes in wetrocks or even under water renderedccrtain, while such incasing rendersthe explosive compound evenless liable to injury during transport,storage, or application preliminary to actual use as an explosive or ofexplosive compounds according to my im provements are economy ofmanufacture and material, the avoidance of danger in handling andstorage or transit, as well as during-the manufacture, greater explosiveeiiect in use, facility afforded by the capability of the explosivecompound being ignited by means of ordinary caps as igniters, thenecessity for tamping being dispensed with, and general simplicityattendant on the manufacture and use. Bran and chlorate have beenused'together as an explosive, as also have cellulose, (in the form ofryeiiour,) chlorate, and aninvention and thejmanner of carrying the sameinto practical operation, I would have it understood that What I claimis- The described exolosive compound, consisting of branor othersuitable form of cellulose mixed with tersnlphide of antimony or naturalsulphide of antimonz yin the \proportions substantially as set forth,and to which mire ture is added a saturated or nearlysatureted solutionof chlorate of. potash, and the-whole formed into agglomerated pelletsor grains, as set forth. I

- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

Witnesses; v

ALFRED DONNISON, J 0.1m ALFRED DoNNIsoN,

J AMES CATO DE CASTRO.

